Cry For the Moon by William Woodall is unlike any other book I have ever read. By diving into the life of a boy living in darkness, a darkness so real and horrifying, the reader will find themselves wanting to flee themselves, Mr. Woodall quite clearly reveals God’s pursuant heart of all who are lost.. Because this book deals with such intense spiritual issues, it is not for the faint of heart, or for the very young, but it can be a very effective witnessing tool to many of those teenagers who find themselves fleeing from their own “monsters.”
When I first began reading this book, I must admit I had some concerns. In the first chapter, a very gory and downright disturbing scene is painted of a family willingly diving into the dark world of evil, and even more disturbing, attempting to drag their own flesh and blood down with them. But as the main character of the story flees this world of darkness, having to abandon his family and home in the process, the reader clearly sees the darkness for what it is. In this book, darkness is never portrayed as appealing or intriguing.
It appears, by the tone and nature of this book, that it is written primarily for the non-Christian, for those teens who are buried in their own worlds of darkness, and thus speaks to them in their language, which to some may seem unconventional to say the least. But the overall message, that God is good and pure and loving, comes out loud and clear. Also, another aspect of this book that I found extremely beneficial was the way the adult male in the story was portrayed. The boy who is fleeing the darkness seeks out an uncle whom he believes to be safe and “monster-free,” and ends up experiencing the love and compassion of Christ through this man. In a culture where most Sunday school teachers are women and many children are being raised by single women, the portrayal of a strong, steady, compassionate and tender Christian man was very endearing.
Reviewed by:
Jennifer Slattery